36 buildings using cladding that may not meet standard

25 Aug 2017

The Straits Times, 25 Aug 2017 - Article highlighted that a total of 36 buildings in Singapore, including an industrial complex in Toh Guan Road where a lethal fire broke out in May, are using external cladding that may not adhere to safety standards in the Fire Code. Of these, 15 buildings including parts of SP – blocks T1 to T10 – were confirmed to be using combustible cladding that allows flames to spread quicker than they are supposed to. Despite the cladding concerns, fire safety assessments deemed the 40 buildings safe for occupancy due to provisions such as sprinklers and fire alarms. The assessment also considered factors such as the proximity of the cladding to possible ignition sources and the proportion of external walls with cladding. The SCDF is working closely with all building owners to replace the composite panels on their buildings within two months. A SP spokesperson mentioned that the contractor who supplied and installed the cladding panels - which were supposed to be in compliance with the Fire Code - will be responsible for the rectification. Similar story was reported in all SPH newspapers including The New Paper, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian and all Mediacorp platforms including Channel 8 News, Channel News Asia and Today.